Recent studies have shown that the median household in the country cannot afford an average-priced new automobile. Graph after graph represents the sticker price of new vehicles going up much more sharply than the median household income. But why? Cars have always been cars. What has changed?
Safety And Emissions
Our cars today are safer and cleaner than they ever have been. This is good news for drivers and good news for Mother Earth. However, one consequence is the rise of prices for these cleaner, safer cars.
R&D
Carmakers know more and more each year about how to make cars more efficient and safer, and the cost of that research gets passed along to auto buyers. All of the engineers, scientists, and designers need to be paid for analyzing data and integrating new knowledge into automobile design and development.
What The People Want
It's not just government regulation that increases the price of cars, consumers are demanding more and more from the cars they purchase. Amenities that would have been considered only for luxury cars decades ago are now standard. Gone are the days when "rolling down the window" meant actual work and cars were opened with things called keys. Today's motorists want keyless entry and power everything.
Tech
One of the biggest demands put on carmakers is to incorporate more technology into new cars. Camera systems are practically everywhere and our vehicles now talk to our phones!
New cars are definitely pricier today, but in the end, we are driving significantly better autos. They keep us safer with things like standard airbags and stability control systems. They also run better (and longer) than the automobiles of decades past. Many cars can go 200k miles with standard maintenance and few major repairs.
Have you been able to purchase a new vehicle? Or are you trying to keep your older vehicle going for a few more years? Either way, I-86 Truck & Auto Repair is here to help you protect your investment with full-service auto maintenance and repair.